HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1204
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that there is a persistent shortage of teachers for Hawaii's public schools. This measure would establish a public education scholarship program to provide financial assistance at the university level for students in pursuit of educational degrees. In return, scholarship recipients would agree to give back by teaching in a public school classroom in the State for a fixed period of years. As a means to address the statewide shortage of public educators, the legislature finds that this measure addresses an issue of statewide concern.

SECTION 2. Chapter 304A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to subpart B of part II to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§304A-    Public education scholarship program. (a) There is established the public education scholarship program to be administered by the University of Hawaii. The program shall pay for the tuition of a student in return for a service commitment to teach in a public school classroom of the department of education or a Hawaii public charter school.

(b) The public education scholarship program shall cover the cost of tuition for four years of enrollment in the University of Hawaii needed to complete a bachelor's degree in teaching; provided that a recipient who fails to maintain satisfactory academic progress or does not receive a teaching degree upon graduation shall be terminated from the program and shall be required to repay the portion of the scholarship already dispensed on the recipient's behalf.

(c) Recipients shall complete seven years of teaching out of the ten years following graduation and having obtained a license from the Hawaii teacher standards board in a public school classroom of the department of education or a Hawaii public charter school. If a recipient fails to complete the required service commitment, the recipient shall reimburse the University of Hawaii for the full amount of the award received from the program.

(d) The amount of scholarship funds awarded annually to recipients by the University of Hawaii shall not exceed $          .

(e) The University of Hawaii shall establish the necessary policies and procedures to implement and sustain the public education scholarship program, including application procedures, eligibility requirements, and standards to determine which applicants are awarded scholarships."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $           or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 for the public education scholarship program established pursuant to this Act.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the University of Hawaii for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000.

Report Title:

Public School Education; Scholarship; Tuition; University of Hawaii; Appropriation

Description:

Establishes the public school education scholarship program within the University of Hawaii to provide students with school tuition in return for a service commitment to teach in a public school classroom of the department of education or Hawaii public charter school. Appropriates funds. Effective 6/30/3000. (HD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.